News

Pet lovers donate scholarships for University of Melbourne’s Veterinary students

Media Release, Wednesday 17 September 2008

Five final year veterinary students at the University of Melbourne are to benefit from $1,000 scholarships funded by long term clients of the Veterinary Clinic and Hospital.

The money is to be used for field research, giving veterinary students the opportunity to conduct research outside Victoria – even outside Australia.

The scholarships are the latest gift to the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Veterinary Science by Dale and Lyn Sayner.

The Hoppers Crossing couple have been taking their pet dogs and cats to the Veterinary Clinic and Hospital based in Werribee for the past 15 years and began making substantial donations four years ago.

“Staff at the Clinic have always done more than we expected of them. They’re just wonderful, wonderful people,” said Mrs Sayner.

“Right from the reception staff, who will take you into a private room if they can see you’re upset, and call the following day to check you’re OK, to the vets who have been through so much with us and our animals, we’ve found their support very touching.”

The Sayners began by funding the purchase of equipment to assist student training at the Clinic and Hospital, including an auroscope which allows vets to see inside an animal’s ears and relays pictures to a screen. This means several people can witness the procedure at the same time, which minimises any discomfort to the animal.

The Sayner’s current pet is a female Rottweiler who was rescued by the RSPCA in Queensland. She had been a victim of cruelty that left her with neurological problems as well as a fractured pelvis and spine.

The dog weighed just 28kg when they brought her to Melbourne and was not expected to survive, but with the support of the staff at Werribee she now weighs 38kg and is making good progress.

Mr Sayner said: “Everything we do is for the training of new vets as we want to see good vets coming through for the benefit of the animals.

“In their final year, vet students from the University of Melbourne go into the field studying different animals, but because of the costs associated, many of them don’t have the opportunity to experience new animals in different environments. We thought a scholarship would enable them to study somewhere different and get a broader education.”

The first five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in the next academic year. The successful students will be selected by their university tutors.

Dr Mark Davis, director of the Veterinary Clinic and Hospital, said: “The Sayners have been very supportive of the Hospital and its staff. In previous years they have helped the education of our staff by providing additional funds for conference attendance and also donated money to buy equipment that is used to educate our undergraduates.

“These new scholarships will allow students to travel to different states and countries as part of their final year of studies. This broadening of experience will increase the abilities of our students at graduation.”